St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-08-13
STEDMAN At HOME.


STEDMAN At HOME.
Ths Worhshop ana Rssldsaes Of ~
Eam0us Bankoe-PoeG
OF the many men familiar to those
whose business or interests bring them
within the atmosphere Of bustling Wall
street. none perhaps is more respected
or better liked than Edmund Clarence
Stedman. the poet-banker. Busy at
his banking Office during the day. and
engrossed in literary work and in full
filling social requirements at night.
Mr.. Stedman leads at once an active
and dual life. A literary atmosphere
pervades his office as well as his charm
ing uptown residence, for the genial
faces Of New England's famed poets,
LOngfellow, Holmes. Lowell and Whit
tier, look down from the four walls be-
tween which the visitor finds Mr.. Sted-
man. It is only when closely pressed
b. some important piece Of literary
work at home that the poet can not be
found at his downtown desk. as busily
engaged in his banking affairs as ii
literature was an unknown factor Of his
life. During the summer months. how
ever, the attractions Of his island re-
treat in New Hampshire lure the busy
banker from his desk. and great pOr-
ton Of the heated term is there spent.
This summer home is one as beautiful
in its surroundings as might be wished
for mind filed with poetical fancies.
1t is situated on Newcastle Island. at
the mouth Of the Piscataqua river in
New Hampshire. opposite the ancient
town Of Portsmouth. The beauty Of
the place is only rivaled by its wealth
Of historic and romantic associations
The poets home is modest dwelling,
whose shingled roofs and wide, low
porch suggests one of those Queen
Anne cottages that cover every eligible
site on our Atlantic coast. Cross the
lawn to the seaward side. and one finds
that the owner and his architect build
with some sense of the novel and poetic
in their souls. The north and west
walls are Of stone. the north wall car
ried up into a tower. with a marvelOusly
wide sea outlook. The walls are built
of stone-trap. lava. and small. smooth
bowldcrs-gathered on the neighboring
beaches and arranged in courses with
an eye to artistic effect The tower Is
built of the same material. There is
loggia at its base, like those in old
Venetian villas. looking seaward out
toward Appledore. Applegate. and
their sister isles. From porch door
opens directly into a wide hall. large
enough for q summer parlor. and in
deed used as such. There is a large
fireplace on the left, with ancient and
irons. The furniture is old and quaint.
reft by Mrs. Stedman from the ancient
homes Of Portsmouth and other places.
On the summer evenings when the sea-
wind blows cool. . fire Of driftwood is
lighted on the hearth. Part of a mast
or spar, torn from its socket perhaps in
some hurricane Of the Antilles does
duty as . back log. and burns with =
lambert, blush fame. On this heaped
fagots catch the fame, and set the
shadows to dancing merrily over the
polished floor and in and out amid the
furnishings. Then about the fire gathers
a notable company. There is always
q visitor at the cottage-author. poet,
artist, savant or travelled man from
foreign lands.
The poets study is q small upper
chamber in the tower, with deep. case
mented windows looking every way
but the landward.
The view from the west window takes
in the craggy, winding south shore. the
vista being closed by the ruinOus Mar
tellO tower on Jourdan's rocks and the
deserted walls of Fort Constitution.
Some of the best work Of the poet in
recent years has been done in this little
room alone with sea and sky. In New
York his literary work is done after
nine o'clock at night Here he devotes
his mornings to it. The afternoon is
reserved for social pleasures, boating
and fishing. riding into the. storied
lands about him, strolls through the
romantic lanes and along the sounding
beaches of the island. Jaffrey Point is
his favorite haunt. Its jagged front re-
ceives the full brunt Of the Atlantic.
On one side is pretty beach Of shingle
and pebble; inland. bayberry, sweet
fern and juniper cover the site Of the
first Notifications thrown up by Captain
Walter Neale for the defense Of the in
FAINT colony. The surf here is ever fine
best if there has been = storm far out
at sea to send the great surges rolling
in slowly and with grandeur. 1t is here
that Mr.. Stedman's lines ON the Surf
were written.-N. T. Star.